Album value
The Beatles — The Beatles (White Album).
First-press value.
Released in the US on November 25, 1968, as Apple SWBO 101, the first Beatles LP issued in America in stereo only. Capitol sold more than 3.3 million copies to stores in its first four days, and every early jacket carries its own stamped number. A numbered cover alone does not make a copy rare; complete inserts and the first label state do.
01
The first-press, by the numbers
Released 1968. The US first-press shipped on the Apple, manufactured by Capitol label.
- US stereo catalog: SWBO 101
- UK first-press: Apple (UK) PMC 7067/8 mono, PCS 7067/8 stereo
- RIAA certification: 24× Platinum (US)
The center label is only the first clue. See the full Apple Records identification guide.
Compare this copy with the artist's other collectible originals. See the The Beatles vinyl value profile.
02
How to confirm a first-press
Three things separate an original from a later reissue beyond the catalog number.
- First US labels carry 'Mfd. by Capitol' rim text on sides 2 and 4 and print early titles such as 'Bungalow Bill', 'Revolution No. 1', 'Revolution No. 9' and 'Goodnight'; corrected titles mark a later run
- Original jackets have 'The BEATLES' blind-embossed and a stamped serial number at lower right; later US jackets print the title in grey instead of embossing it and are not numbered
- A complete copy has the fold-out poster with lyrics on the back and four John Kelly portrait photos; most of the price difference is in those inserts
- Dead wax plant marks: 'IAM' in a triangle means Scranton, an 'O' means Jacksonville
The matrix runout etched in the dead wax is the definitive identifier when label and catalog number both look era-correct.
03
What it's worth
Recent sold-listing ranges. Pressing, condition, and current market all move the number.
| Pressing & condition | Recent sold |
|---|---|
| 1968 first-press (NM) | $60–$250 |
| 1968 first-press (VG+) | $25–$60 |
| Reissue (any later catalog), NM | $15–$35 |
What pushes to the top: First-state Capitol-text labels with the early song titles, in a clean embossed and numbered jacket with the poster and all four photos.
Sources: Discogs sold listings (90-day window), Popsike.com auction archive, Goldmine Record Album Price Guide.
04
If you have one
Pull the record. Check the label first against the Apple, manufactured by Capitol design. Confirm the catalog number on the label matches SWBO 101. Then check the matrix runout in the dead wax. All three lining up is the first-press confirmation.
Or scan with Crown Vinyl. The app reads the label, catalog number, and matrix runout from a single photograph, returns the exact pressing, and pulls a current value from recent real sales. Free on the App Store.
Keep checking the shelf
More first pressings worth knowing.
Nearby years, matching labels, and more records by the same artist.
1969 · Apple, manufactured by Capitol
The Beatles — Abbey Road
1969 first press: $15–$35 in VG+ condition.
Check this pressing
1964 · Capitol black rainbow-rim
The Beatles — Meet the Beatles!
1964 first press: $15–$50 in VG+ condition.
Check this pressing
1964 · Vee-Jay black with rainbow colorband, oval logo
The Beatles — Introducing... The Beatles
1964 first press: $40–$120 in VG+ condition.
Check this pressingA few questions
The ones that come up.
Check the label design (Apple, manufactured by Capitol), the catalog number (SWBO 101), and the matrix runout etched in the dead wax. All three need to line up for a confirmed first-press. First US labels carry 'Mfd. by Capitol' rim text on sides 2 and 4 and print early titles such as 'Bungalow Bill', 'Revolution No. 1', 'Revolution No. 9' and 'Goodnight'; corrected titles mark a later run.
First-state Capitol-text labels with the early song titles, in a clean embossed and numbered jacket with the poster and all four photos brings the top of the NM range, typically $60–$250.
Reissues use different label designs, different mastering, and were pressed in far larger quantities. The Beatles (White Album) reissues from later decades trade at $15–$35 per NM copy. The first-press premium reflects scarcity, era-authenticity, and collector demand — not the music itself.
The Beatles (White Album) was issued in stereo only as a first-press. The SWBO 101 pressing is the reference.
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